Samsung Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition announced, out next quarter

We didn’t see this one coming but Samsung has just introduced a new edition of the premium flagship Galaxy S20. The South Korean tech giant has announced the Samsung Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition (TE). It’s not for everyone but is targeted for a market—one that has people going through a terrain, in places that may have limited resources or communication. This particular device is for the operators in the Department of Defense and the federal government. Samsung is no stranger in coming up with special versions of smartphones especially if it’s for a greater purpose.

The Galaxy S20 TE is special. It’s been customized with special software and features that will work with other classified and tactical applications. It is meant for command units as it offers extreme privacy and security. The phone follows the NSA standards with two-layer data encryption which is important in sharing classified missions and top-secret level data.

As described by Samsung’s Head of the Mobile B2B Division and SVP and General Manager Taher Behbehani, the phone “provides the warfighter with the technology that will give them an edge in the field, while providing their IT teams with an easy-to-deploy, highly secure solution that meets the demands of their regulated environment.” The phone’s customization has been designed based on the suggestions and needs of the Department of Defense.

The device is mainly a regular Samsung Galaxy S20 but with enhancements. The Samsung Knox mobility platform is now defense-grade. Within the system, there are programs for federal managers and officers they can easily manage and deploy. What the phone does is connect to tactical radios and mission systems via multi-ethernet capabilities.

Such a feature connects the phone to mission systems even via Private SIM, WiFi 6, CBRS, or 5G. The phone also offers night-vision mode, stealth mode, and mute all RF broadcasting. It’s not so simple but it caters to the needs of the military or the operators.

The device is lightweight and offers numerous features and functions. It’s something an operator can fully rely on in terms of accessing intelligence and data and running mission apps while in the field. The phone is “certified and secure for special operations”.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition (TE) will roll out in the 3rd quarter of this year. Only select IT channel partners can sell the smartphone. Note that not everyone can buy this. Check out this page for more information.